Glasgow urged to focus on pedestrians and public transport

Glasgow needs to focus more on pedestrians, cyclists and an integrated public transport system to keep pace with other leading European cities, a commission has recommended.

The Glasgow Connectivity Commission, established last year by city council leader Susan Aitken, has been looking at measures to support economic growth by enabling more people to live, work and visit the city region.

Chaired by transport academic Professor David Begg, it has heard evidence that comparable cities which had created “people-friendly environments'', reduced pollution and congestion and developed high quality public transport networks were best placed to attract investment and highly skilled workers.

Plans for Scotland's first low emission zone to open in Glasgow at the end of this year and the expansion of walking and cycling areas under Glasgow's Avenues programme have been described as “encouraging'' but Prof Begg said the city's current transport system presented “structural barriers'' which could place limits on growth.

The commission said the city's grid system means there is far less space for pedestrians with 25% of land in the city centre taken up by roads, more than double the percentage in Edinburgh.

It also suggested residents living in the city centre need to be better catered for to attract more people to live there.

The commission found Glasgow has a relatively low proportion (3%) of its population living in the city centre compared to comparable cities such as Copenhagen, Dublin and Munich, putting a greater demand on commuting transport networks.

A large decline in bus use in the west of Scotland over the last decade was also identified as a concern by the commission, with a 40% loss of First Bus passengers.

Prof Begg said: “A generation ago Glasgow led the way across the UK towards what was seen as a modernised transport system, built for the car.

“Now, with rapidly changing demands and a trend towards low carbon infrastructure, the priorities of people have changed, quite dramatically.

“The dominance of the road is being questioned not only in social terms, with its negative impact on air quality and road safety, but also economically as its rival European cities transform their own environments in favour of pedestrians, cyclists and integrated public transport systems.

“This is what we are proposing, that the city lives up to its slogan by recognising that 'People do indeed Make Glasgow'.''

Ms Aitken welcomed the initial findings of the report with its full policy recommendations to be published in November.

She said: “David Begg's expertise and knowledge speaks for itself.

“I gave him and his commissioners a very broad remit - linked to improving the city centre experience; supporting the local economy, and ensuring all of Glasgow's people can share in the prosperity it creates.

“I'm pleased to see them really take that challenge on and it is clear the commission has already gathered some very significant and sometimes uncomfortable evidence.

“I'm not going to try and second-guess what their final recommendations are going to be, but I'm convinced they will present a healthy challenge to the city and to members of all parties on the council.'